International
Flights canceled, at least 2 killed as ice storm freezes US
February 1st |
Wintry weather brought ice to a wide swath of the United States on Tuesday, canceling more than 1,700 flights across the country and blocking roads. At least two people were killed on slippery roads in Texas and two law enforcement officers in the state were seriously injured, including one officer who was trapped under a truck, authorities said.
As the ice storm moved eastward Tuesday, watches and warnings stretched from the western heel of Texas to West Virginia. Several rounds of mixed precipitation, including freezing rain and sleet, were expected in many areas through Wednesday, meaning some regions could be affected multiple times, the federal Weather Prediction Center warned.
Emergency responders rushed to attend to hundreds of auto collisions in Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott urged people to stay off the roads.
Authorities said one person in Austin was killed in a pre-dawn pileup Tuesday. A 45-year-old man also died Monday night after his pickup truck slid into a guardrail on a highway near Dallas in slippery conditions and rolled down an embankment, according to the Arlington Police Department.
More than 900 flights to or from the main U.S. airport hub, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and more than 250 to or from Dallas Love Field were canceled or delayed Tuesday, according to the FlightAware tracking service. At Dallas-Fort Worth, more than 50% of Tuesday’s scheduled flights had been canceled by Tuesday afternoon.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines canceled more than 560 flights Tuesday and delayed more than 350 more, FlightAware reported.
As of Tuesday morning, about 7,000 power outages were reported in Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said after a briefing in Austin on the worsening conditions. He stressed that the outages were due to factors such as ice on power lines or downed trees, not the performance of the Texas power grid that collapsed for days during a deadly winter storm in 2021.
Fleets of emergency vehicles were deployed among 1,600 roads affected by the freeze.
In Texas, a sheriff’s deputy who stopped to help the driver of an 18-wheeler that went off an icy road Tuesday was hit by a second truck that trapped him under one of its tires, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. About 45 minutes after the accident on State Highway 130, the officer was freed from the wreckage and taken to a hospital, where he was in surgery Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The deputy is expected to survive, authorities said.
International
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
Honduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America3 days agoCDC Issues Level 2 Travel Alert for Costa Rica Amid Chikungunya Outbreak
-
International2 days agoWildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
-
International4 days agoMexico Files 20 Complaints in U.S. Over Deaths of 17 Citizens During ICE Operations
-
International4 days agoNicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise
-
International2 days agoIsrael Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace